Navratri Day 7 2026: Maa Kalaratri — Date, Colour, Mantra, Bhog and Why Saptami Repeats
Navratri Day 7 in 2026 is Saturday, 17 October, the day of Maa Kalaratri — the fiercest form of Durga, who destroys darkness and fear.
- Date: Saturday, 17 October 2026
- Tithi: Saptami — 5:55 AM on 17 October to 8:29 AM on 18 October
- Goddess: Maa Kalaratri
- Sunrise (Delhi): 6:23 AM
- Colour (popular custom): Grey
- Traditional bhog: Jaggery (gur)
Maa Kalaratri: the seventh form of Durga
Kalaratri, "the night of time", is dark as the deepest night, with unbound hair, three eyes and a breath of fire, and she rides a donkey. In her hands are a sword and an iron hook, while the other two are raised in fearlessness and blessing. Her appearance is meant to terrify what is harmful; to her devotees she is Shubhankari, "the one who does good".
The story of Maa Kalaratri
She is the Goddess at her most uncompromising — the form that destroys demons whom nothing else can stop, and that dissolves ignorance the way dawn dissolves night. In the popular retelling of the Durga Saptashati's battles, it is this dark, fearsome energy that faces the demon Raktabija, from whose every drop of spilt blood a new demon arose. Her worship on the seventh day is a prayer to be freed from fear itself.
Mantra and dhyana
ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः॥
एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता। लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्तशरीरिणी॥
The dhyana verse is intentionally stark: single-braided, adorned with hibiscus, riding a donkey, her body anointed with oil. Chant the short mantra 108 times; many also keep a lamp burning through the night.
Colour and bhog for Day 7
The colour for Saturday, 17 October in the popular list is grey. The traditional bhog is jaggery (gur), offered and then given in charity.
How to worship Maa Kalaratri on Day 7
- Invoke Maa Kalaratri at the kalash with the dhyana verse.
- Offer red hibiscus, akshat, kumkum and the jaggery bhog; light a lamp of mustard oil.
- Chant her mantra 108 times; many read the Durga Saptashati's seventh chapter.
- Close with the aarti. In Bengal, Durga Puja's Maha Saptami is on Sunday — see Durga Puja Maha Saptami.
The daily kalash, akhand jyoti and the general Navratri vidhi are in the Navratri 2026 guide.
Why Navratri 2026 runs ten days
Saptami begins at 5:55 AM on Saturday, 17 October and ends at 8:29 AM on Sunday, 18 October. Delhi's sunrise on Sunday is at 6:24 AM, so Saptami holds the sunrise on both days — a tithi vriddhi, perfectly normal, which spreads the nine tithis of Navratri across ten calendar days. Kalaratri's worship continues on Sunday morning; Ashtami begins at 8:29 AM that day, and Durga Ashtami, with Maa Mahagauri, is on Monday, 19 October. Popular colour lists, which count calendar days, print purple against Sunday.
← Day 6 · Maa Katyayani · → Day 8 · Maa Mahagauri · All nine days of Navratri 2026
Frequently asked questions
When is Navratri Day 7 in 2026?
On Saturday, 17 October 2026. Saptami runs from 5:55 AM on 17 October to 8:29 AM on 18 October, and holds the sunrise on both days.
Why does Navratri 2026 have ten days?
Because Saptami holds the sunrise on both Saturday, 17 October and Sunday, 18 October. The nine tithis therefore spread over ten calendar days.
What is the colour of Navratri Day 7 in 2026?
Grey, in the popular list that assigns colours by weekday.
What bhog is offered to Maa Kalaratri?
Jaggery (gur) is the traditional offering on the seventh day.
